SMF Tops 10 Million Passengers Served for 1st Time Since 2008

Jan. 17, 2017

Sacramento International Airport served more than 10 million passengers in 2016, a significant milestone not achieved since 2008. The steady growth in passenger traffic reflects airline response to passenger demand for new air service and is another indicator of continued growth in the regional economy. 

Sacramento International Airport served 10.1 million passengers in 2016, a 5.3 percent increase over 2015. The airport’s all-time traffic record was 10.7 million passengers in 2007.

The airport has recouped passenger numbers lost during the recession with almost three years of steady month-over-month growth.

“Our passengers let us know they want nonstop service to new destinations and more choices to the cities we already serve, and the airlines responded,” said John Wheat, Sacramento County director of airports. “We are very grateful to our passengers, our staff, our airline partners and our stakeholders for helping us reach this goal.”

New or expanded nonstop service added in 2016 includes:

  • Daily nonstop service to Baltimore/Washington on Southwest
  • Daily nonstop service to Boise on Southwest
  • Daily nonstop service to Chicago on American Airlines
  • Expanded seasonal nonstop service to Boston on JetBlue
  • Expanded seasonal daily nonstop service to Charlotte on American Airlines

New or expanded service in 2017 includes:

  • Seasonal nonstop service to Cabo San Lucas on Alaska Airlines beginning June 10
  • Three-times-a-day nonstop service on Alaska Airlines to San Diego beginning in March
  • Daily nonstop service on Southwest Airlines to Salt Lake City in March

“We are very proud that Sacramento International Airport topped the 10 million mark in 2016,” said Nav Gill, CEO of Sacramento County. “They accomplished this by maximizing operational efficiencies and providing customer service that is consistently ranked among the best in the nation.”

Airport officials expect passenger growth of about four percent in 2017.